Student at Keilor Downs secondary school in Melbourne tests positive to coronavirus

A school in Melbourne’s north-west has been closed for cleaning after a student tested positive for coronavirus, a week after a teacher was confirmed to be infected.

The student at Keilor Downs College acquired the infection through a known source, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.

“The student probably was infectious on-site on the 26th of this month and was notified yesterday,” he told reporters.

Professor Sutton said the student was infectious when he attended school on Tuesday May 26 — the day most students returned to face-to-face learning across the state.

Contact tracing is being conducted at the school and any close contacts of the student will be asked to self-isolate.

“It will probably apply to all of the classes that student was in,” Professor Sutton said.

On Tuesday, a teacher at the school was confirmed to have contracted the virus, but he had been working from home.

Students from Taylors Lakes and St Albans who attended a VET class with the Keilor Downs student on Tuesday have also been asked to self-isolate. Those schools have not closed.

Those students, as well as any other known contacts, will also enter quarantine.

There were seven new COVID-19 cases recorded in the state on Friday, with three discovered through routine testing, two in returned travellers in hotel quarantine and two cases under investigation.

It brings the state’s total number of cases to 1634 after a case was removed from the tally because of a data issue. About 70 cases remain active.

Premier Daniel Andrews said despite signs the virus’ spread was slowing in the state, it was important people who have been working from home keep working from home.

“We can’t have a situation where our public transport system is running at 100 per cent capacity,” he said.

“Having too many people in close contact … that will lead to a second wave. That’s what we’re trying to avoid.”

-with AAP